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| Columns |
| Twist to the tale,Twist to the tale |
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by
Edward Chisambo,Edward Chisambo, 16 January 2004
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14:37:24
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Wangwiro of the Women’s Guild was confused when she heard that government through its highest legal advisor — the Attorney General — was threatening to take Malewezi to court for going on leave pending retirement after general elections in May this year.
Malewezi had taken his accumulated leave days from January 1 to May when he expected to retire anyway, and why government was now itching to immediately get him out of the way is the hundred dollar question that tortured Wangwiro. She knew government has before been rough with people who fell out of favour with it although it shamelessly preached tolerance. She had in mind individuals like the district governor of Chiradzulu Sindo who was made to walk from Sanjika Palace because he did not agree with the President’s choice of UDF presidential candidate in April last year.
This is a district governor who drove to that fateful meeting in a yellow UDF party pick-up believing he would be allowed to exercise his democratic right of expression. He was unpleasantly surprised when he was nearly assaulted by some of the delegates at the UDF meeting. And the vehicle was withdrawn with rare efficiency.
“Judge Chimwamasana, you are today going to tell this crowd of KSG how justified the government is when it forces its First Vice President, who is on leave, to vacate office and pave way for an unknown successor. One who was not elected to that position in 1999 definitely. How do you interpret such a move on someone who has served government with undivided loyalty for the past nine years?” said Wangwiro, who grabbed her glass, looked at Chimwamasana in the eye and emptied the contents down her throat.
She was sure the judge was best placed to shed light on the recent developments surrounding Malewezi.
“I personally think the reaction to Malewezi’s going on leave from the government is unfortunate. Apparently the government has confused his taking leave as vice president with his simultaneous resignation from the ruling UDF. The First vice President can only be removed from office if he is impeached by Parliament or voluntarily resigns. It is not at the whims of the party he has defected from..
“In this case he has not resigned from his position as First Vice President and he is legally on leave. Even the Office of the President and Cabinet said it was normal for the veep to go on leave since he accumulated several days while in service. Should he forfeit his days just because he wants to show that he is absolutely loyal?
“Claims by the Attorney General that he will be given full benefits if he retires now sound hollow for two reasons. One, why has the veep’s security been withdrawn by police? I ask this question since security is supposed to be part of his retirement package. Two, the veep’s staff has been sent on mandatory leave in dubious circumstance. I wonder whether they accumulated leave days as well. If they did not why should government close down the veep’s office while he is on leave? It will be the first time that we hear an office closing down because the incumbent is on leave.
“Certainly, the main issue here is that Malewezi left UDF and joined PPM but even the President is free to leave his party. The hazard of democracy is that it allows people freedom of association. To prove that the UDF were really irked by the veep’s defection the party’s deputy regional governor for the South Samson Msosa attacked Malewezi at a ceremony where President Bakili Muluzi planted a tree at Madziabango on Tuesday.
“The deputy regional governor accused Malewezi of being ungrateful to UDF and its leadership. The deputy governor claimed that the UDF gave the veep free benefits like vehicles but he decided to ditch the party. That must send us all thinking. Do our leaders join parties to serve us or get benefits like vehicles?
“From the deputy regional governor it is clear that most of our leaders are in this political business for material gains. It explains why they vote as a bloc in the National Assembly. Obviously, Malewezi has risen above that and he must be accorded a special place in our society,” Chimwamasana said, ending a lengthy explanation that he hoped had cleared the air about the veep.
The judge’s legal talk was greeted with not-so-drunken aahs! and eehs! The patrons were sure something was wrong with the ruling party. The boss — the President — who claimed to be a democrat at heart was being deserted by political heavyweights at the time he needed them most.
“This is exactly what happens to all cruel bosses in this world. At the beginning, they are heavily supported but inevitably they end up deserted. It is management of human beings that matters most. People sometimes decide to be principled,” Chofiira added to the conversation, sounding more like Plato the philosopher than a drunken KSG regular. It was a free lesson to all in leadership positions.,Wangwiro of the Women’s Guild was confused when she heard that government through its highest legal advisor — the Attorney General — was threatening to take Malewezi to court for going on leave pending retirement after general elections in May this year.
Malewezi had taken his accumulated leave days from January 1 to May when he expected to retire anyway, and why government was now itching to immediately get him out of the way is the hundred dollar question that tortured Wangwiro. She knew government has before been rough with people who fell out of favour with it although it shamelessly preached tolerance. She had in mind individuals like the district governor of Chiradzulu Sindo who was made to walk from Sanjika Palace because he did not agree with the President’s choice of UDF presidential candidate in April last year.
This is a district governor who drove to that fateful meeting in a yellow UDF party pick-up believing he would be allowed to exercise his democratic right of expression. He was unpleasantly surprised when he was nearly assaulted by some of the delegates at the UDF meeting. And the vehicle was withdrawn with rare efficiency.
“Judge Chimwamasana, you are today going to tell this crowd of KSG how justified the government is when it forces its First Vice President, who is on leave, to vacate office and pave way for an unknown successor. One who was not elected to that position in 1999 definitely. How do you interpret such a move on someone who has served government with undivided loyalty for the past nine years?” said Wangwiro, who grabbed her glass, looked at Chimwamasana in the eye and emptied the contents down her throat.
She was sure the judge was best placed to shed light on the recent developments surrounding Malewezi.
“I personally think the reaction to Malewezi’s going on leave from the government is unfortunate. Apparently the government has confused his taking leave as vice president with his simultaneous resignation from the ruling UDF. The First vice President can only be removed from office if he is impeached by Parliament or voluntarily resigns. It is not at the whims of the party he has defected from..
“In this case he has not resigned from his position as First Vice President and he is legally on leave. Even the Office of the President and Cabinet said it was normal for the veep to go on leave since he accumulated several days while in service. Should he forfeit his days just because he wants to show that he is absolutely loyal?
“Claims by the Attorney General that he will be given full benefits if he retires now sound hollow for two reasons. One, why has the veep’s security been withdrawn by police? I ask this question since security is supposed to be part of his retirement package. Two, the veep’s staff has been sent on mandatory leave in dubious circumstance. I wonder whether they accumulated leave days as well. If they did not why should government close down the veep’s office while he is on leave? It will be the first time that we hear an office closing down because the incumbent is on leave.
“Certainly, the main issue here is that Malewezi left UDF and joined PPM but even the President is free to leave his party. The hazard of democracy is that it allows people freedom of association. To prove that the UDF were really irked by the veep’s defection the party’s deputy regional governor for the South Samson Msosa attacked Malewezi at a ceremony where President Bakili Muluzi planted a tree at Madziabango on Tuesday.
“The deputy regional governor accused Malewezi of being ungrateful to UDF and its leadership. The deputy governor claimed that the UDF gave the veep free benefits like vehicles but he decided to ditch the party. That must send us all thinking. Do our leaders join parties to serve us or get benefits like vehicles?
“From the deputy regional governor it is clear that most of our leaders are in this political business for material gains. It explains why they vote as a bloc in the National Assembly. Obviously, Malewezi has risen above that and he must be accorded a special place in our society,” Chimwamasana said, ending a lengthy explanation that he hoped had cleared the air about the veep.
The judge’s legal talk was greeted with not-so-drunken aahs! and eehs! The patrons were sure something was wrong with the ruling party. The boss — the President — who claimed to be a democrat at heart was being deserted by political heavyweights at the time he needed them most.
“This is exactly what happens to all cruel bosses in this world. At the beginning, they are heavily supported but inevitably they end up deserted. It is management of human beings that matters most. People sometimes decide to be principled,” Chofiira added to the conversation, sounding more like Plato the philosopher than a drunken KSG regular. It was a free lesson to all in leadership positions. |
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